Binding books



UNITED lsTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

A. H. ROWAND, OF ALLEGHENY CITY, PENNSYLVANIA.

BINDING BOOKS.

Specification ofLetters Patent No. 17,299, dated May 12, 1857.

To all whomc't may concern Be it known that I, ARCHIBALD H. Row- AND, ofthe city of Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny, in the State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and improved mode of preserving andextending the durability of the bindings of books and folios or largeblank books, ledgers, &c.', and thereby at the same timegreatlyfacilitating removing of said books to or Vfrom the shelving or racks onwhich they rest in a vertical position when not in use, whichAimprovement is embraced in the application of grooves of brass or othersuitable metal or material, into which rollers have been introduced,after which the grooves or book-carriage is attached `to theflower endof the covers of the book, by which great stiffness is given to thecover and at the same time the binding is protected `from wear andfriction in passing the bookto or from its vertical resting-place.

The other improvement, or part of the improvement, consists in theapplication of a spring or clamp` constructed of metallic or otherelastic substance, applied near the top, or at the top, of the headband, and generally on the outside of the back or outer binding; theends of which spring are so applied as to press on the extremity of thearch formed by the inner back, or headband of the book by means of whichpressure the said arch is caused to retain its proper full and originalform, and thereby prevents the leaves which compose the book or foliofrom leaning forward, or sagging, and, eventually tearing, or separatingthe outer back and cover, from, the head band or, inner back, (sometimescalled the spring back) and I do hereby declare thatithe following is afull and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in providing a book or folio with abook carriage, one for each side of the cover, which carriage is soconstructed and of such shape as to leave a groove above the rollers onwhich it moves, which grooved part receives the lower end of the coverand to which it is secured by rivets passing thro-ugh it, thussupporting the cover, and enabling the book by means of the rollers inthe carriage to be moved with ease and comparatively trifling wear orfriction, while also by means of the spring or clasps embracing orpressing on the extremities ofthe head band, o-r spring back, andthereby maintaining, said head band (when the book is closed) in theform of an archprevents theweight ofthe leaves, from settling down, asis now the case, when, the book is left in a verticalposition andwithout the application of my spring. i

To enable others skilled in the art, to make and use my invention, Iwill proceed to `describe its construction and operation in its severalparts.

I construct my book carriage of any metallic or other suitableconvenient material, either with one continuous groove and with rollersat proper intervals placed therein, o-r apply the carriage in divisionscontaining one or more rollers to each, segment or subdivision-fthe sizeof the grooved case as also that of the rollers working therein beingvaried to suit the size and weight of the book.

I construct my back clasps or spring of any suitable elastic material,susceptible of tempering, shaping its form and Asize to the back oroutside of the book to which it is to be applied, and so adjusting itslength as to cause its extremes to come in contact with the extremes orends of the head band or inner back of the book, and when thus applied,at or near the top of the book, as when in a vertical position causesthe leaves of the book (in consequence of the arch form thus given tothe head band) to be maintained in the same position as if the book wereresting on the back instead of on the ends, and while thus preservingthe leaves in place, the strain on the back, to which large books aresubject is overcome, and the binding, besides retaining .its properform, when the book is resting in the usual vert-ical position, willalso be found to last longer and less subject to crack at the joints ofthe book, than is now the case.

Reference being now had to the annexed drawings, making a part of thisspecification, will more fully explain my said invention and the mode ofconstructing and using t-he same.

Figures l and 2 are the grooves con- 'taining the rollers and whichsupport the book when in vertical position. Figs. 8, 3, 3, &c., show therivets as holding the carriages on the books. Fig. t shows the lowerside of the groove with the rollers in. Figs.

5, &c., show form of rollers out of the groove. Figs. 6, 8mo., are therivets used in fastening the grooves to the book. Figs. 7 and 8 show thebur and washer for securing the rivets.

Letters refer to the book when the clasp or spring is applied.

A shows the book with only the head band or inner back on.

B shows the book with full back of binding without the clasps.

C shows the book closed with full binding and the spring or clasp on.

" book (a back view). y

E is the spring by itself, ready for use on the book.

F is the book on its side with, book carriage and spring applied.

Gr shows the joint or hinge part of Lthe book.

H, H, is a side view of the back when book is shut.

I is the book carriage or groove containing the rollers. J is a View ofthe book with spring and carriage, as on the shelf.

K shows the action of the book open when spring is attached.

L is the head band or inner binding, spring inward.

M is the outer binding spring outward.

N is the spring when the bookis open and O is the spring when the bookis closed.

What I claim as my invention and des-ire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

l. The combination of the rollers in the groove or book carriage asapplied to books to aid in moving them in their racks in a verticalposition.

2. I further claim the application of the spring as above described and-used in compressing the extremities of the arch of the head band andthereby causing said head band to maintain a circular or arch like form,by means of which t-he leaves of a folio or book are kept from droopingor sagging when the book is in a vertical position; this spring I useaccording to convenience or choice either, applied on the outside of theouter back, or neXt to the head band or inclosed between the outer andinner back.

A. H. RowAND.

Tests N. B. HATCH, W. C. AUGHINBAUGH.

